Publications by authors named "Lorena Tapia"

Article Synopsis
  • Plasmodium vivax is a widespread malaria parasite, and targeting its pre-erythrocytic stage could aid in vaccine development and enhance understanding of natural immunity against it.
  • The study evaluated immune responses to 12 P. vivax pre-erythrocytic antigens in infected individuals, using samples from the Peruvian Amazon to assess both humoral and cellular immunity.
  • Results showed that all evaluated antigens elicited IgG responses, although these responses were generally weaker compared to blood stage antigens, suggesting potential pathways for enhancing immunity and reducing malaria severity.
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During the winter of 2023, Chile faced a complex situation related to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). After experiencing a decline in RSV circulation during the years of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a late outbreak was observed in the spring of 2022 and an early onset of the outbreak in 2023, with a significant increase in the number of serious cases. The ineffectiveness of strategic planning and risk communication contributed to the complexity of the situation.

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Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) attack the vine's wood, devastating vineyards worldwide. Chile is the world's fourth-largest wine exporter, and Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most economically important red wine varieties. Botryosphaeria dieback is an important GTD, and is one of the main pathogenic species.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of vaccinating children against SARS-CoV-2 was rapidly established. This study describes the safety of CoronaVac in children and adolescents between 3- and 17-years-old in a multicenter study in Chile with two vaccine doses in a 4-week interval. For all participants, immediate adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs), and AEs of special interest (AESIs) were registered throughout the study.

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Multiple vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been evaluated in clinical trials. However, trials addressing the immune response in the pediatric population are scarce. The inactivated vaccine CoronaVac has been shown to be safe and immunogenic in a phase 1/2 clinical trial in a pediatric cohort in China.

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N-methyladenosine (mA) is the most abundant internal modification described in eukaryotic mRNA and several viral RNA including human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV). Here, we evaluated the impact of mA writers, erasers and readers on HRSV genomic RNA accumulation and inclusion bodies assembly during viral replication. We observed that the METTL3/METTL14 mA writer complex plays a negative role in HRSV protein synthesis and viral titers, while mA erasers FTO and ALKBH5 had the opposite effect.

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Multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) is a post-infectious complication described in children and adolescents with previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Because of its potential to evolve to severe disease -including cardiovascular impairment and multiple organ failure it requires a prompt diagnosis and appropriate management, including intensive care for most cases. These guidelines compile recent information from scientific literature, from our local clinical experiences during the past pandemic year, and have been discussed by experts.

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Introduction: The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children associated with SARS-CoV-2 (MIS-C) is cha racterized by a hyperinflammatory state resulting from a cytokine storm, evidenced by alterations in laboratory blood testing and acute-phase proteins.

Objective: to describe the clinical and labora tory characteristics of patients hospitalized due to MIS-C and identify predictive markers of severity.

Patients And Method: Retrospective study of 32 patients.

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Background: In children with cancer and persistent high-risk febrile neutropenia (HRFN), cytokines/chemokines profiles can guide the differentiation of febrile neutropenia (FN) due to infections and episodes of unknown origin (FN-UO).

Methods: A prospective, multicenter study in Santiago, Chile included patients ≤ 18 years with cancer and HRFN. Clinical and microbiological studies were performed according to validated protocols.

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Background: SARS-CoV-2 virus infection responsible for de pandemic in course, is a new clinical and physiopathological entity, whose control is still uncertain till we can provide an effective and universal vaccine. In the beginning it was described as a respiratory disease which affects mainly adults, children can have the disease too and in this group the disease can be different than the adult disease. Acute infection in children is mostly mild and when it requires hospital assistance it resolves with support therapy and without complications most of the time.

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This is a Brighton Collaboration Case Definition of the term "Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and Adults (MIS-C/A)" to be utilized in the evaluation of adverse events following immunization. The case definition was developed by topic experts convened by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in the context of active development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2. The format of the Brighton Collaboration was followed, including an exhaustive review of the literature, to develop a consensus definition and defined levels of certainty.

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Background: Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) can develop respiratory viral infections (RVI) during fever episodes. There are few data about clinical outcomes in RVI and compared to bacterial infections (BI) in this population.

Aim: To determine clinical outcome of RVI, compared to BI in children with HSCT.

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We describe a case of Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in an 8-year-old child. The patient developed multiorgan dysfunction, including mixed shock, cardiac dysfunction with myocarditis, pneumonia, acute kidney failure, and gastrointestinal involvement characterized by inflammation of the wall of the bowel and pancreatitis. After treatment with Tocilizumab and corticoid therapy, he presented clinical improvement and normalization of inflammatory markers.

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Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in Santiago, Chile.

Methods: This was an observational study of children with MIS-C (May 1 to June 24, 2020), in three pediatric hospitals in Santiago. Demographic characteristics and epidemiological data, medical history, laboratory tests, cardiology evaluations, treatment, and clinical outcomes were analyzed.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed 120 malaria isolates from both regions using genetic markers, finding low genetic diversity in the PNC (0-0.32) and higher diversity in the EAB (0.43-0.70), indicating distinct genetic structures and potential transmission routes.
  • * The analysis reveals minimal genetic flow between the two areas separated by the Andes Mountains, which could inform strategies for malaria control by providing insights into regional transmission dynamics
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Background: Data on how respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) genotypes influence disease severity and host immune responses is limited. Here, we characterized the genetic variability of RSV during 5 seasons, and evaluated the role of RSV subtypes, genotypes, and viral loads in disease severity and host transcriptional profiles.

Methods: A prospective, observational study was carried out, including a convenience sample of healthy infants hospitalized with RSV bronchiolitis.

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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can cause lower respiratory tract disease and mortality in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. We report two children who underwent HSCT and developed RSV infection simultaneously at the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. The treatment with intravenous palivizumab was provided and sequential viral loads were measured in nasopharyngeal (NP) and whole blood samples.

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Background: The fusion (F) protein of RSV is the major vaccine target. This protein undergoes a conformational change from pre-fusion to post-fusion. Both conformations share antigenic sites II and IV.

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The clinical impact of viral factors (types and viral loads) during respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is still controversial, especially regarding newly described genotypes. In this study, infants with RSV bronchiolitis were recruited to describe the association of these viral factors with severity of infection. RSV antigenic types, genotypes, and viral loads were determined from hospitalized patients at Hospital Roberto del Río, Santiago, Chile.

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During 2010-2012, an outbreak of 210 cases of malaria occurred in Tumbes, in the northern coast of Peru, where no Plasmodium falciparum malaria case had been reported since 2006. To identify the source of the parasite causing this outbreak, we conducted a molecular epidemiology investigation. Microsatellite typing showed an identical genotype in all 54 available isolates.

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Background: Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants. Biomarkers of disease severity might help in clinical management.

Objective: To determine the clinical predictiveness of NW-LDH, NW-caspase 3/7, and NW-LDH/NW-caspase 3/7 ratio in bronchiolitis.

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Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) has three surface glycoproteins: small hydrophobic (SH), attachment (G) and fusion (F), encoded by three consecutive genes (SH-G-F). A 270-nt fragment of the G gene is used to genotype HRSV isolates. This study genotyped and investigated the variability of the gene and amino acid sequences of the three surface proteins of HRSV strains collected from 1987 to 2005 from one center.

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Unlabelled: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has been associated to recurrent wheezing, but pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. Interleukin-4/Interleukin-13 (IL-4/IL-13) pathway is involved in both conditions. A common host genetic susceptibility may exist in patients whom RSV will trigger severe illness and those who develop recurrent wheezing.

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